Learn what Freeport co-op shareholders are doing to advocate for change

Co-op shareholders in Freeport are banding together, calling for substantial changes in the oversight of co-op boards and the way they are being governed.

These residents said they are frustrated by a lack of transparency and accountability and are advocating for new legislation to protect their rights and ensure the proper maintenance and management of their buildings.

A co-op, or cooperative housing, is a type of housing arrangement where residents own shares in a corporation that owns the building, rather than owning individual units directly. A co-op board is a group of elected individuals responsible for managing the operations of a cooperative housing building.

Jason Bass, a long-time resident of a Freeport co-op, described the severe structural damage in his building, at 99 Randall Ave., citing issues like cracking facades and inadequate repairs.

But Bass added that when co-op shareholders face such issues, their only recourse is often expensive and lengthy litigation.

“There is a policy in place that department of buildings does not tend to the needs of residents living in a co-op, condo or (a homeowners’ association),” Bass said in an email. “If there is a heating or structural issue, again, the expectation is for you to start a civil lawsuit against the building.

“Your only option is through suing, and that could be enormous burden on someone,” Bass said.

Stephanie Lovergine, another shareholder, said that while laws exist, no federal agency or advocacy group is responsible for effectively enforcing them.

“The only thing a shareholder has as a recourse is lengthy and expensive litigation,” she said.

As a result, Bass, Lovergine and fellow shareholder Olivia Wills have spearheaded the formation of an advocacy group to provide more options to co-op residents.

They said the lack of oversight allows co-op boards to operate without accountability, sometimes leading to violations of their own by-laws.

In addition, the group claims that the co-op board is making poor maintenance decisions due to an excessive hesitance to use the money that is collected from shareholders ostensibly for the very purpose of maintaining the building.

Wills also stated that there have been abuses of power, with board members using their privileged position to garner perks such as extra parking spaces.

The board president of the 99 Randall Ave. co-op, Joseph Cutrone, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Herald.

Bass cited New York City’s 311 — a non-emergency number to report any number of complaints to city government, such as noise complaints, sanitation issues, as well as housing and building violations — as a resource he’d like to see made available on Long Island and across New York state.

Bass added that Florida has seen a substantial revamping of legislation protecting the rights of residents in multi-family housing units, as a result of a grassroots movement over the last few decades.

The Florida Legislature passed additional legislation after the collapse of the Surfside Condominium in 2021, resulting in the death of 94 people, requiring that condo buildings must undergo an inspection certification process after 30 years, with records of inspections made easily available to tenants.

“The board doesn’t care … There’s a lot of redirecting back to the property manager, but ultimately, it’s up to the board,” Olivia said. “So that’s where we are, we just keep going around in this one circle.”

Wills added, “Us going down to village hall and making a complaint to Department of Buildings, it does nothing, because we are not renters. … Crazy enough, a renter has more rights.”

She described instances of structural damage, like the crumbling façade, and – at an Amityville co-op that the group has been in contact with – raccoon infestations, which have not been addressed despite numerous complaints.

The group has also been in contact with shareholders at co-ops in Yonkers and Forest Hills who have made felt similarly thwarted by the system in place.

In an effort to garner support for their cause, the co-op residents have been in touch with State Sen. Brian Kavanagh, chairman of the Senate Housing Committee; Assemblywoman Taylor Darling; and Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow.

Noah Burroughs, a Village of Hempstead trustee who is running for Assembly in the 18th District as a Democrat, succeeding Darling, has shown interest in the group’s efforts.

After meeting with the shareholders, Burroughs expressed his intention to push for immediate action.

“(We just need to figure out) how to do this on a legislative basis, and you know it’s going to take some time to figure that out,” Burroughs told the Herald.

Burroughs said the extent of the structural damage reportedly in existence at 99 Randall Ave. should spur Freeport’s buildings department to take some sort of action.

Burroughs is facing Republican Danielle Smikle in the November 5 election.

The group is advocating for legislation similar to the reforms taken in Florida, mandating regular structural inspections and adequate reserve funds for repairs.

The group proposed that buildings more than 25 years old should be required to undergo structural engineering reports every five years, with the findings made public to shareholders.

They also suggested a mandate for a reserve specialist to ensure funds are adequately managed for necessary repairs in co-ops, as well as for condos, statewide.

Bass suggests for anyone interested in joining their grassroots movement to address legislative reform regarding the rights of co-op shareholders to join their Facebook group at Facebook.com/Groups/Nyccoopshareholders/.